The Adventures of Shield & Slime
by StoopKid241
Summary: In this story, the worlds of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime & Rising of the Shield Hero are linked in a general sense. How will Rimuru Tempest manage to help out the Shield Hero? And why is the Spear Hero acting surprisingly helpful to the Shield Hero? Find out the answers to all that and more in this crossover! Cover image by JuanStingtrip24 here on FF,net.
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** _In this fic, the worlds of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime & Rising of the Shield Hero are linked in a general sense, though most details will be revealed throughout the story._

**12/1/19:**_ I made some minor changes, and you can read the details of them at the end notes._

**Chapter 1:** **_Shield__ & Slime Meeting_**

About one week after the Second Wave was successfully repelled by the Four Legendary Heroes, the leader of the Jura Tempest Federation arrives in the capital city of Melromarc in hopes of fostering peaceful trade relations, though also to determine why all four of those heroes were summoned to that city at the same time…

Rimuru Tempest was currently riding in a carriage through the capital city, joined by his subordinates Benimaru, Shion, Shuna, and Rigur, though Ranga remained in his shadow like always. And while they traveled down the road, Rimuru peeked out while saying "Well this is an impressive city… Do any of you know much about the legendary heroes they seem to summon regularly?"

Benimaru scratches his slightly unkempt red hair, before saying "All I've heard are rumors from merchants to Rimuru City. And all they really say is that those heroes often get really strong, so if all four heroes were summoned in Melromarc at the same time, they might get deployed to increase their kingdom's strength while dealing with the waves…"

Rimuru nods in response and says "I've heard similar things from King Dwargo and from Demon Lord Carrion. The nations near us typically ignore this whole system, but states near Melromarc have typically summoned those heroes in the past, probably in a rotating fashion. Let's try to gather some information while we're here, especially about why the heroes were summoned here and if the waves could be a threat to us. They only seem to affect Melromarc and not much farther outside their borders, at least according to what I've heard, but I could always be incorrect about that…"

While his carriage was continuing down the road, Naofumi, The Shield Hero, had just left a general store with Raphtalia…

When Naofumi sees the carriage, he turns to Raphtalia and says "Looks like that king will be receiving a guest today. It may even be a foreign politician. I'm sure he'll show off the other heroes, so why don't we join them as well?"

Raphtalia nods and says "As the Shield Hero, you should be present for a foreign guest. Excellent thinking, Master Naofumi!"

Later, in the castle throne room…

Suddenly, a castle trumpeter plays a boisterous tune, before yelling out "Behold, His Majesty King Aultcray Melromarc XXXII!"

King Aultcray then walks out toward his throne, noticing Rimuru and his subordinates present in the room, as well as all four heroes off to the side. He wasn't thrilled about seeing the Shield Hero, but he held his tongue and sat down, before saying "You must be Rimuru Tempest of the Jura Tempest Federation…"

Rimuru respectfully nods before smiling and saying "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty…"

King Aultcray however, grumbles when he sees Rimuru's gesture, causing him to say "You are in my throne room, so I expect you to bow or kneel before me…" His demand caused Rimuru's subordinates to flash with anger for a moment, though Rimuru motioned them to remain calm. Naofumi, standing with Raphtalia and Folo while watching from the sidelines, thought the king was being a complete fool, since it was obvious to him that this foreign leader was powerful.

In response to that, Rimuru closes his eyes while saying "I must apologize King Aultcray, but it is against my code to bow before an equal, as we are both leaders of our respective kingdoms. I was taught that by a fellow ruler whom I have great respect for."

King Aultcray starts to tap his finger on his throne, while glaring and saying "If you wish to negotiate with the Kingdom of Melromarc, then you must show reverence to its ruler. I will not accept anything less…"

When Rimuru hears that, he nods and says "I understand…"

King Aultcray proceeds to smile, feeling proud of himself, before saying "There, now do you understand how the human way of doing things, monster?"

Rimuru nods again, before smiling and saying "That I do… I shall take my leave, King Aultcray. I have no need to associate myself with a king with such a great amount of vanity and stupidity. Farewell…"

King Aultcray begins to sputter to himself, amusing Naofumi thoroughly, before the king finally says "How… h-how dare you? Heroes! Do not allow that monster to leave!"

Ren, the Sword Hero, and Itsuki, the Bow Hero, proceed to ready themselves for combat, while Naofumi watched without moving, noticing that Motoyasu, the Spear Hero, wasn't yet acting either. To Naofumi, it made perfect sense for Ren and Itsuki to listen to the king's selfish command without question, but he had no idea why Motoyasu was ignoring an order right now. Either way, things were not going well, and this situation could easily spark a war with this foreign nation, which Naofumi would rather avoid.

However, to Naofumi's surprise, Rimuru summons a dark flame from one of his fingertips while saying "I will warn you only once, King Aultcray. Have your heroes stand down before we go down an irreversible path. Though I do wonder why all four were summoned here specifically. Is it not standard for you and your neighboring kingdoms to discuss where each hero should be summoned before hand?"

This was a strange point, one that Naofumi found disturbing, especially how the king acted like it was tradition for them all to be summoned in Melromarc. Though knowing how underhanded he was, it would not shock him if the king specifically summoned the heroes to disrupt the balance of power between Melromarc's neighbors.

When King Aultcray hears that, his face grows pale for a moment as he mutters "What was that…?" He quickly composes himself and slams his fist against his throne, before yelling "A filthy monster dares to level an accusation against me? Heroes! Silence this demonic creature at once!"

Ren and Itsuki prepared themselves to a difficult fight, though Motoyasu acts first, walking forward to stand between the other heroes and Rimuru's envoy, before smiling and saying "Why don't we all take a step back…? As we are guests of this world, it wouldn't be right to cause a war for the kingdom that we are meant to save…"

He then nodded at Naofumi, an act which confused the jaded Shield Hero more than anything else, but this was a good opportunity, so he goes to stand next to Motoyasu before glaring and saying "None is getting killed while I'm here. Grow a brain for once and stand down. You may beat me in terms of offense, but none of you can get through my shield…"

Now that the heroes were effectively split on this issue, King Aultcray begins to grit his teeth in anger, before finally saying "Fine! You will leave my presence immediately, you band of lying monsters!"

Rimuru merely shrugs and says "That's what I planned from the start…" Then he turns to the heroes who supported him before smiling and saying "Thanks for helping with the situation. Good luck with your heroic duties..." Following that, he turns around to walk away, before telepathically saying to them both "I'll be in town for the rest of the day. Come find me at the inn near the north gate before I leave, okay?"

With Rimuru and his subordinates gone, King Aultcray groans to himself, before turning to Naofumi and saying "Shield Demon… I should have known that you'd undermine me…" Then he turns to Motoyasu and says "But you… You've been our kingdom's most loyal hero, so I will let you off with a warning."

Motoyasu nods and bows, before saying "Thank you, Your Majesty…"

However, King Aultcray then folds his arms and says "But while I have you here, why did you suddenly remove my daughter from your party. She is quite distraught… Did she do something to displease you, Spear Hero?"

Naofumi's eyes widened when he hears that, never expecting that the annoyingly gullible and doting Motoyasu would ever go against that deceitful princess. But in response to that, Motoyasu just smiles and says "Oh, I'm afraid I've recently had a change of heart, for I can no longer stand to fight alongside a liar…"

King Aultcray's eyes slowly flared in anger, as the other heroes looked at Motoyasu with both confusion and shock, as the king said "How dare you? What can you possibly accuse my daughter of lying about?!"

Motoyasu merely shrugs and says "The better question is, what can't I...?" And then, he turns around and begins to walk away while saying "Farewell everyone! After that experience, I could use some rest…"

Naofumi had no idea what was going through Motoyasu's head right now, but he was much more interested in meeting with that Rimuru guy, since he heard so many rumors of how powerful his kingdom was.

With that being decided, Naofumi and his party leave the castle and head toward the inn that Rimuru was staying at, wondering what awaited them there…

In the North Gate Inn…

Currently, Rimuru and his group were sitting in a back corner, feeling a bit disappointed that their trip to Melromarc ended in this way. Despite that, Rimuru felt somewhat confident that the two summoned heroes who attempted to break up the potential fight would come to visit him. And it would be highly useful to have one of those heroes on the side of Jura Tempest.

A little while later, Naofumi and his party entered the inn, where Rimuru motions them to come to their area. And once Naofumi got there, Rimuru smiles and says "So you're the infamous Shield Hero… I've heard a lot about you. But first of all, thanks for talking some sense into your fellow heroes."

Naofumi quietly nods, not exactly trusting this foreign leader, before saying "Oh… thanks. Well, I just wanted to stop by to make sure you guys were okay. Though what did you mean by Melromarc summoning all four heroes? Isn't that normal? "

Rimuru shakes his head in response, and says "Unfortunately from what I've read and heard, the way you were all summoned this time was entirely unheard of, so your king likely fed you a totally false narrative. Because you heroes have far more growing potential than other summoned otherworlders, the nations neighboring Melromarc have established a pact dictating where each hero should be summoned and at which point in time. Normally, all four would be summoned in separate nations, where each one would be responsible for preparing them for the waves. Those waves affect Melromarc and the neighboring nations, though Jura Tempest seems to be outside of that radius; well at least for now. Are you following me so far?"

Naofumi quietly nods, wanting to learn more about the truth of the hero summoning system, leading Rimuru to continue by saying "It didn't take long for the neighboring nations to learn of what your king did, and that word eventually spread to me and the nations allied with Jura Tempest. Honestly, it's a giant mess… But at least they summoned a few reasonable heroes when they pulled this scheme, so watch out for any suspicious deployment orders!"

Now that Naofumi felt better informed, he turns around and says "This was good to know, but I should get going. See ya…" Raphtalia soon followed behind him, lecturing the young hero about his manners, which Rimuru had no trouble hearing, leading him to quietly chuckle knowing that his retainers would have scolded him in the same way.

But after Naofumi took a single step, Rimuru sits up straight and says "From what I've gathered, this kingdom doesn't do much to support you, Shield Hero. How can you expect to do your duties without help from your kingdom?"

Raphtalia looks at Naofumi with concern, as he grumbles to himself before saying "I'll figure things out, like I always do. I don't need the kingdom to do my job properly…"

He then continues to walk toward the front door, causing Rimuru to say "Well, I've also heard about a highly damning accusation that was leveled against you, Shield Hero…"

When Naofumi hears that, he turns back at Rimuru and furiously glares at him, before saying with a growl-like tone "That's none of your concern!" Once he realizes that he lost his composure, he turns back around and shakes his head, before sourly saying "I'm leaving…"

After that, Rimuru hums to himself, before saying "Did you do it, Shield Hero…?"

Naofumi's eyes widen when he hears that, causing Raphtalia to immediately turn around and yell "Master Naofumi is a good person! Don't you dare insult him!"

Rimuru shakes his head and says "While I respect your devotion to him, I'd like the Shield Hero to answer for himself. Well, did you, Shield Hero…?"

Naofumi then turns around and says "Fine, if it'll get you out of our hair!" He then quietly exhales, before dejectedly saying "No, I didn't… Happy?"

In response to that, Rimuru jumps up and clasps his hands together, before grinning and saying "Yep! I guess you really were falsely accused then… Talk about a bad first experience after getting summoned to this world…"

Naofumi was entirely confused by what he just heard, since no one ever believed him when he tried to deny the accusations leveled against him. Rimuru seemed to notice his confusion, so he says "I'll bet you want to know why I believe you, right? Well, my telepathy is pretty powerful, where I can even read the inner thoughts and emotions of people, to the point where I can notice when someone tells a lie. So if you were lying to me, I'd know."

With that explained, Naofumi asks "So why'd you want to meet with me then?"

Rimuru nods and explains, saying "Well, I wanted to figure out if Melromarc really did summon the heroes all at once this time, and if they might be a threat to my kingdom. You probably don't know this, but they're not the only ones who can summon otherworlders, though the legendary heroes of this land are particularly notable and powerful. Just having two of them serving that king could spell disaster for the other nearby kingdoms, though having one to keep that king in check just might be enough..."

When Naofumi hears that, he glares and says "So you just want to use me? Is that it?"

Rimuru proceeds to laugh and say "Use is a bit of a strong word… I prefer the term 'hire'. Or maybe sponsor? Or support? I've got plenty of citizens to worry about, and this is a pretty worrying situation. How about it, Shield Hero?"

He proceeds to scratch at his hair, before saying "The name's Naofumi…And I guess I could use some help for a change… After learning all this, that king is sounding even more fishy than he already was."

When Rimuru hears that, he grins and says "Alright then, Naofumi, it's a deal! From one otherworlder to another, I'll keep you employed and help ya out!"

That last statement threw Naofumi off guard, causing him to back away and say "What was that…? Does that mean you were summoned here too?"

Rimuru taps his chin in response, before saying "Sorta…" Then, his body proceeds to melt into a bright blue liquid, before finally settling into a rounded shape with a simple looking face. And after that, Rimuru smiles again and says "I used to be a regular old Japanese guy, but then I died and was reincarnated into a slime. A whole lotta of stuff happened after that, but now I'm in charge of this gang…"

Benimaru proceeds to nod, before giving a friendly wave and saying "Good to meet you, Naofumi. If Lord Rimuru can trust you, then so can the rest of us."

Shion then grins at Naofumi, before proudly stating "If you didn't stop your hero friends, then I would've cut your king in two for daring to insult Lord Rimuru!"

Shuna then shakes her head at Shion while saying "You should learn to hold back more. We cannot do anything to insult Lord Rimuru's honor while on diplomatic trips…" After that, she picks Rimuru up and holds him tightly, prompting a pout from Shion, before adding "I look forward to our partnership with you, Sir Naofumi…"

Rigur then moves to shake Naofumi's hand while saying "Great to meet you, Shield Hero!"

With that all taken care of, Rimuru lead Naofumi and his party out of the inn, though to their surprise, Motoyasu was running toward them, leaving Naofumi to wonder what was going on with that guy's head…

**Notes:**

**12/1/19:** I made some minor changes/revisions, since I got a few details wrong. The big things I changed was that the story takes place after the **2nd wave**. I was thinking of it as the first wave Naofumi dealt with, which was why I originally said it took place after the 1st wave. I also made some changes with how the legendary hero summoning occured, so it should be more accurate. I also gave Rimuru an additional reason for visiting Melromarc, mainly due to the correction I made for the hero summoning. Hopefully things are better for accuracy!

As you can see, this story is starting in a middle point for both Slime & Shield Hero.

For Slime, everything up to Season 1 of the Anime had occurred for my story. I'll be a bit looser with Shield Hero, but basically things are set after the conclusion of the first wave Naofumi and the other heroes dealt with, which is technically the 2nd wave chronologically.

And because this happens a few months after the 2nd wave, a few things will have already happened, like Filo hatching and growing into her human-like form. Since I'm not certain about how the events of Shield Hero are spaced out time-wise, I think I will make it so the next big wave hadn't occurred yet but they finished a few of the smaller event arcs in-between.

Something else that was probably unexpected was how Motoyasu acted during this story. I can assure you that his behavior will make a lot more sense in the next chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

_Naofumi still had no idea what to expect from the annoying spear guy, so he remains quiet as Motoyasu runs toward them…_

Once Motoyasu finally reaches them, he lets out a loud sigh before saying "I was worried that you'd be gone by the time I got here!"

Naofumi was still on guard, so he scowls at the other hero and says "What do _you _want? And what got into you back there?"

Motoyasu begins to laugh to himself before saying "Yeah, I've got a lot to explain, don't I… Try to believe me, okay?"

After that, he begins to explain, saying "First of all, somehow my spear activated a special ability that sent me back in time whenever one of us heroes died. So I guess you can say I'm from the future?"

Naofumi just shakes his head and says "You're even more of an idiot than I thought…"

Motoyasu begins to nervously frown while pleading, saying "You've gotta believe me! That's why I kicked all those pigs out of my party…"

Naofumi was about to hurl another insult his way, but Rimuru speaks first, changing back into his human form while saying "Time magic of that variety is rare, but not unheard of. It would make sense for a legendary weapon to unlock that sort of skill…" Motoyasu takes a step back when he sees that transformation, not expecting that the slime was the foreign representative in disguise.

When Naofumi hears that, he shakes his head and says "You don't seriously believe him, do you, Rimuru?"

Rimuru nods and says "He's telling the truth, that much I can tell. Besides, he stood up to that king, right? Don't you find that interesting?"

Motoyasu begins to nod energetically, bouncing off of Rimuru's point by saying "I couldn't stand seeing that corrupt old man get his way anymore! So I just acted without really thinking…"

Naofumi then starts to scratch his chin, while saying "Let's pretend I believe this nonsense story for a moment…" Then he narrows his eyes and quickly adds, saying "Does that mean you knew that I was framed?"

The tension in the air just grew thicker, as Motoyasu sullenly looks down before quietly saying "...yes…"

When Naofumi hears that, he snaps and grabs Motoyasu by the collar, before angrily shouting "Then why didn't you help me? You must have seen what I was forced to endure!"

Motoyasu then looks away before sadly saying "I'm sorry… If I interfered and changed anything Filo would not have hatched… It was the only way!"

This caught Naofumi off guard, causing him to scowl she say "Filo? Why the hell do _you_ care about that?"

By this point, Raphtalia looked like she wanted interject, but Rimuru turns to her and shakes his head, before saying "They need to talk this out between themselves…"

Motoyasu gently removes Naofumi's hand from his collar, before saying "At first I was just obsessed with Filo, mainly because of how kind she eventually was to me when I hit my lowest point, though I can't remember any of those details right now.. " Rimuru found that to be an interesting point, though he kept quiet, as Motoyasu continued by saying "Eventually, as I experienced time loop after time loop, I realized something…"

He then sighs she says "Filo has to be important to this world. I feel like I learned why at some point, but I just can't remember…" By this point Naofumi calmed down somewhat, motioning for him to continue, so Motoyasu then says "I remember trying to defend your name, stopping the scheme before it could be enacted, and even fleeing to a nearby kingdom with you. But no matter what I tried, everything reset because either one of the heroes lost their lives or a different filolial would hatch from the first egg you'd buy. They all activated the spear's ability and sent me back to that first day…"

After hearing all of that, Naofumi's eyes widen as he says "So when you learned that Filo was born, you knew you could start deviating from the original path we all took…"

Motoyasu nods, happy that Naofumi understood, leaving him to say "I couldn't stand to see the worst pig of them all, that horrible princess, mistreat you any longer! I truly wish I could have helped you sooner…"

Now that Motoyasu explained himself, Rimuru decides to speak on his curiosity, saying "Your name is Motoyasu? So you're having trouble remembering certain events from previous time loops, correct? Can you remember anything past this date? And did you retain any of your previously skills or strengths? From what I can discern with my abilities, you seem to be just a bit stronger than Naofumi."

Motoyasu starts to scratch his messy blonde hair, before frowning and saying "I only have a vague recollection of past events, and I can't recall a thing about the future. And I don't seem to have any extra skills from previous loops. But you seem knowledgeable, sir Rimuru! Do you have any guesses about why this is happening?"

Rimuru taps his chin and says "Well, if the world _does in fact_ require that Filo exists, then your spear might be carrying out the will of the world. Stuff like fate and destiny can actually mean a lot in this new world we all are now in, so it wouldn't be unheard of. And since Filo was born, it may not view it as being necessary to continue time looping, though I'm sure it will still activate if you or the other heroes perish. Have you ever met _me_ in a previous time loop, Motoyasu?"

Motoyasu begins scratching his chin, raking his brain to remember anything, before sighing and saying "I don't think I have, sir Rimuru. That has to be another reason why this is the correct time loop!"

Rimuru just shrugs and says "Could be... If you want, I can ask one of my blacksmiths to take a look at your spear."

Motoyasu's eyes widen as he says "You'd truly allow me to travel with you? Thank you so much, sir Rimuru!" But then he clears his throat and turns to Naofumi, before saying "You don't mind my company, do you? I'll understand if you can't forgive me for my actions. I truly was a terrible fool…"

Naofumi silently glares at the Spear Hero, before finally sighing and saying "It's clear that you went through some stuff too. And it's pretty entertaining to hear you of all people call that damned princess a pig. So do what you want because I won't object…"

Motoyasu begins to smile happily, before moving in to hug Naofumi while shouting "You truly are a god among men, Naofumi! I will strive to live up to your standards…"

Naofumi starts to struggle, while grumbling and saying "Okay okay! Just let go you damn weirdo!"

Raphtalia starts to quietly giggle to herself, while saying "It's so nice to see you getting along with the Spear Hero, Master Naofumi…"

After that, Naofumi frees himself, before turning to Rimuru and saying "Can we stop by a blacksmith I usually go to? I left Filo with the old man before coming here, and I'd like to warn him that I'll be leaving the country for the time being."

Rimuru nods and says "Sure… I'd like to meet with a local merchant, so having one acquainted with you should smooth over the negotiations…"

_Following that, the group starts to walk to Erhard's shop, while Rimuru's envoy stayed at the inn to avoid attracting even more attention…_

Once they all enter the shop, Erhard looks around at the present company, before looking back at Naofumi and saying "Made a few more friends, Shield-bro?"

Naofumi shrugs in response, before saying "Kind of. It's a long story…"

After that, Erhard notices that Motoyasu was among those present, causing him to say "Hold on a sec… I thought you and the Spear Hero hated each other?"

Naofumi then sighs to himself, before saying "That's an even longer story…" But then he clears his throat and says "I actually wanted to let you know that I'm traveling to Jura Tempest. I'll probably be gone until the next wave…"

Erhard just grins in response before saying "Have fun out there, Shield-b…" His voice trails off, as his eyes widen while he says "Wait, did you say _Jura Tempest_? As in the famous monster city?!" Naofumi quietly nods, leading the excited blacksmith to say "That's where the legendary dwarf Kaijin has his forge now! Shield-bro, ya gotta let me come with you!"

Naofumi scratches at his hair while saying "It isn't really up to me. You'll need to ask Rimuru. He runs the town, after all…"

Rimuru, currently in his human form, smiles before saying "You look like an experienced merchant. As long as you put a good word out there to your fellow merchants in the kingdom, I'll let work with Kaijin."

Erhard then gives an energetic thumbs up while saying "Is that all? I've got no problems with introducing some of my merchant buddies to the famous Rimuru Tempest. Man this'll be awesome…"

When Naofumi hears that, he folds his arms and says "Is he really that special, old man?"

Erhard nods and says "Yep. I'm basically a novice compared to him. I've gotta see what kinda magic he'll be able to pull off with the legendary weapons…"

Motoyasu then grins and says "Oh this is so exciting… We'll be going on a grand adventure!"

Rimuru uncomfortably smiles in response, before quietly laughing and saying "We're just going to my home. I'd rather it be ab uneventful trip…"

By this time, Filo noticed that Naofumi and Raphtalia were back, so she runs down the stairs before hugging the Shield Hero while saying "You're back, Master Naofumi! Does this mean I don't need to listen to the old uncle anymore?"

Erhard grumbles to himself while Naofumi laughs, before saying "Good to see you too, Filo." She then releases her master, leaving Naofumi to then say "We'll be traveling to another country for a little while, okay? And the Spear Hero will be coming with us. Is that okay?"

Motoyasu becomes nervous, fearing that Filo would dislike him for how he needed to act. She begins to walk around him, as if inspecting the hero, before saying "Spear guy _is _kind of a jerk…" Motoyasu felt himself die a bit when he heard that, but she then continues, saying "But he also called Filo big and strong…" Motoyasu's eyes then light with hope, as he remembered that he needed to compliment Filo while in her beast form as well, since he made that terrible mistake the first time he saw her in the original timeline. His overall memory of previous timelines _was_ hazy, but he'd never forget that blunder.

By the end of this, Filo shrugs and says "Filo thinks Spear guy is okay!"

Motoyasu then breathes a sigh of relief, before saying "Good enough for me…"

But now that things were settled here, Erhard says "Give me some time to pack my things up. Where should I meet you, sir Rimuru?"

Rimuru nods and says "The North gate is fine. I've got my subordinates in the inn near there, so just head there if we're not ready when you are."

_With that decided, the group leaves Erhard to ready his things. But on the way down the street, they are stopped by a young and regal looking purple haired girl..._

**Notes:**

* * *

First off, I just have to say that I was completely blown away by the reception to this crossover! I've been thinking about it for a while, so to see it get this much attention from the first chapter alone is a crazy feeling. I really must thank everyone for the favorites, follows, and reviews! They mean a lot.

Speaking of reviews, a few of them gave me some corrections that I missed, and I appreciate them. I think that by now, all of the plot inaccuracies should be fixed now, either in this current chapter or in the rewrites I did for Chapter 1. Let me list off a few reviews that had more detailed critiques/plot corrections in them, so it's clear what I fixed:

_The Joining (cool name):_ Both of those points were things I forgot about when reading Shield Hero, so I've edited Chapter 1 to better reflect that information.

_RedBurningDragon:_ For your points, I've made minor corrections to Chapter 1, though more info on your review will be included in later chapters.

_SwordOfTheGods:_ I'll be more clear on what form Rimuru takes in the story from now, as you can see from this chapter. And the bit about 1st Wave vs. 2nd Wave was just an error on my part, since I thought of it as the first wave the heroes took part in.

Thanks for all of your reviews and feedback!

For people who have been curious, by now it should be clear that I'm also taking inspiration from the Spear Hero spin off series. After seeing how his great he can be with a bit of prior knowledge, I just had to do this for the Spear Hero.

Now for a general warning. I'm currently reading the manga for Slime, Shield Hero, and Spear Hero (spin off), so my knowledge of certain events is pretty limited beyond a certain point. I'll still try to do a good job with what I know.

Thanks again for the crazy reception this story has received so far!


	3. Chapter 3

_Last time, Erhard had just left to gather his things while the group picked up Filo, as they all seemed ready to depart from the city…_

Suddenly, the 2nd Princess, Melty Q Melromarc, appears before Naofumi with a highly serious expression.

And when Naofumi sees her, he casually waves and says "Oh hey there, 2nd Princess. What's up? Here to see Filo?"

Melty shakes her head and says "Not this time unfortunately, though it always fills me with joy to see her regardless." Filo grins when she hears this, as Melty then says "This time I am here to visit sir Rimuru…"

Rimuru looks over when he hears that, tapping his chin since he was still in his human form, before saying "So what brings the crown princess over to see me, outside of the castle…?"

Right after that, Melty bows and says "Sir Rimuru Tempest! Please excuse my lord father's behavior! I know that the queen would have treated you with the respect you deserve as a fellow ruler..."

When Rimuru hears this, he smiles and says "You're willing to swallow your pride for the sake of your citizens… You look pretty young, but it seems like you've had to grow up fast."

Melty looks back up and nods, before saying "Well, my sister misbehaved so frequently that I was made the crown princess instead, so I had to come to terms with my own responsibility. Even though I still lack the power to actually help the Shield Hero…"

Naofumi just smiles in response, before saying "You're still just a kid, so don't worry about it. It's not your fault that you've got a shitty dad and older sister…"

Motoyasu then grins when he hears that while saying "Well said, Naofumi! I'd hate to be related to that pig of a princess…"

Melty's eyes widen when she hears that, causing her to say "Sir Naofumi! You must choose your words more carefully, as you are the honorable Shield Hero!" Then she turns to Motoyasu and says "And since when was the Spear Hero so friendly with sir Naofumi? What happened to you and my sister?"

Motoyasu happily smiles and says "I've had an epiphany… That is all, Princess Melty… Though I must apologize for any trouble I've caused for you while at that pig's side."

After all of that, Rimuru coughs, getting Melty's attention before saying "I have no plans to retaliate against your country based on the king's behavior, so you don't need to worry. I appreciate you coming out to speak with me though. I can see why you're the crown princess…"

Melty's eyes widen, before she quickly bows and says "Thank you for the kind words, sir Rimuru!" Then she raises her head back up, before quietly adding "I also have a message on behalf of my mother, sir Rimuru…"

Rimuru nods, leaving Melty to continue by saying "My mother is currently meeting with our foreign neighbors, mainly due to my father summoning all 4 legendary heroes here in Melromarc. But she wishes to meet with you and the nations allied with Tempest. You can expect a visit from her by the end of the week…"

When Naofumi hears that, he takes a step back and says "Hold on, the queen…? Since you're a matriarchal monarchy, that means she's the one holding the real power in this country, right?"

Melty nods and says "That is correct, sir Naofumi. The only reason why my father and sister can act without retribution now is because they specifically acted during the multi nation summit where the surrounding nations discuss who can summon the legendary heroes."

Rimuru then nods and says "I'll alert King Dwargo and Demon Lord Carrion once I return…"

Now that the message was received, Melty prepared to leave, but she was stopped when she heard her sister, Malty S Melromarc, yell out "Melty! I can't believe the evil Shield Hero has captured you!"

_Unfortunately for Naofumi, Rimuru, and Motoyasu, their exit from the city was about to become a lot more complicated..._

When Melty hears that, she turns to Naofumi and says "Oh no… I didn't think she'd pull something so soon!"

Naofumi nods and then says "That damned woman is as crafty as ever. Should we just run?"

Melty shakes her head and says "Let's see what she does first… I doubt any of the soldiers can be convinced of your innocence however."

Soon after that, Malty approaches their group with the heroes Itsuki and Ren with her, along with a collection of royal army soldiers. And once they get closer to Naofumi's group, Malty points and says "The Shield Demon has taken my poor sister! We must act now!"

Melty shakes her head in response, before saying "No one is kidnapping me! I came here of my own volition…"

Malty loudly sighs when she hears that, before turning to the soldiers and saying "It's worse than I thought! The terrible Shield Demon has brainwashed her!" The soldiers start to shuffle amongst themselves, becoming more agitated while Ren watches with a fair amount of skepticism.

Right after that, Naofumi shouts "Shut the hell up! You know I can't do anything like that!"

In response to that, she runs behind the Bow Hero and cries out "Itsuki, help me!" She then sticks her tongue out at Naofumi, making sure that only his group could see that, causing him to become even angrier.

Because of that, Itsuki heads to the front and says "How dare you, Naofumi! I'll rescue Princess Melty from your clutches!"

When Filo hears that, she puffs her cheeks and assumes a fighting stance, before yelling "Melty is my friend, so I won't let you jerks take her away!"

But after that, Motoyasu shakes his head and says "I just remembered that in one of the timelines where I joined Naofumi earlier, Itsuki just took my place at the pig princess' side. I guess some roles just need to be filled…"

While all of this was happening, Rimuru was silently planning out his next move, so he asks his Great Sage 'What is my strength compared to the enemy soldiers?'

Great Sage then responds, emotionlessly explaining 'Answer: Rimuru's combat strength is greater than all of the current hostiles combined.'

Rimuru silently laughs to himself, before saying 'Well that's nice to hear… I probably shouldn't seriously harm any of them though. How are their resistances to blinding techniques?'

The Great Sage answers again, saying 'Answer: The combatants lack any resistance to blindness effects.'

With that information, Rimuru telepathically says to his allies 'You should all look away, okay? After that, we're retreating!'

Right after that, Rimuru creates a ball of energy and fires it off into the air above Malty and her entourage. But just as it released a surging light, Ren predicts the blinding nature of the attack, so he closes and covers his eyes at the same time that Naofumi and the others did. Malty, Itsuki, and the soldiers were all blinded and stunned, allowing Rimuru to lead his group to safety.

_In a nearby alleyway..._

Before they were able to completely leave the area, Ren stops them before saying "I can't say that I think you're completely innocent yet, Naofumi, but I'm not convinced of the charges leveled against you either."

Naofumi then glares at his fellow legendary hero while raising his shield, before saying "So what's your point?"

Ren nods and then says "I'm not here for a fight. All I wish to know is if you still plan on fighting against the waves, even if you leave this country…"

When Motoyasu hears that, he yells "How'd you find out about that?"

Raphtalia then sighs and says "We probably shouldn't confirm things like that, sir Motoyasu…"

Ren just smiles and says "Anyone who took some time to actually think about your actions could have figured that out. Could you answer my question, Naofumi?"

Naofumi glares at the Sword Hero, before looking back at Raphtalia, who gives him an encouraging smile. With that, he folds his arms and says "I'm a hero so I'll keep fighting the waves. That's our job, right?"

Ren nods and then says "You're exactly right…" After that, he turns to Melty and says "And what will you do, Princess? I doubt you _need_ to go with Naofumi. I can always say that I saved and removed the 'brainwashing' from you. I doubt they'd accept anything less, no matter what you say."

Melty grows silent for nearly a minute, thinking things through carefully, before finally saying "If I return now, I fear my sister will attempt to have me killed. And without sir Naofumi nearby, I wouldn't survive." Then she turns to Naofumi and begins to plead to him, saying "Please take me with you, sir Naofumi! I can't remain in the capital as long as my sister holds this much sway…"

Naofumi grumbles to himself, before sighing and saying "I know how it feels to be abandoned all too well, so fine… But ain't there somebody else you need to convince?"

Her eyes widen, before turning to Rimuru, though he quickly smiles and says "Sure! It'd rather see you succeed the throne than your sister, from the brief time I've witnessed her behavior. I doubt they'd try anything anyway."

When Motoyasu hears that, he scratches at his blonde hair and says "Are you sure, sir Rimuru? That guy is the worst kind of trash, but I think he actually cares for Princess Melty and the pig princess."

Naofumi tries to stop himself from laughing, amazed by how casually Motoyasu refers to Malty as a pig now. But Rimuru nods and says "I don't doubt it, but there's no way they can afford getting into a lengthy war while the Waves are in full swing. We should be fine…" But right after that, he turns to Ren and says "You're the Sword Hero, right? If you ever feel like you could use some extra training, feel free to visit Tempest. We've got a master swordsman instructor there…"

Ren politely bows, before saying "Thank you, sir Rimuru…" Then he turns around and begins to leave, while saying "I'll say that I lost all of you. Hopefully you don't run into trouble at the city gate…"

Now that Ren was gone, Naofumi sighs and says "He's got a point… There's no way they'll let you leave with us and the princess, Rimuru…"

To his surprise, Rimuru just smirks and opens his palm, causing a small surge of magic energy, while saying "I've already got that figured out. I've mastered transformation magic, so we shouldn't have any trouble at all!"

Following that statement, a whirlwind of magic appeared before everyone, quickly changing their appearance. By the time the spell ended, they all looked at each other, and were shocked to see how _green _they looked now.

Raphtalia's voice pierced through the stunned silence, yelling "We… we've been turned into goblins!"

Rimuru grins in response and says "Correct! Goblins are one of the predominant monster races in Tempest, so no gate guard should bat an eye at you guys now. I'll change you all back once we're clear of the city. Well, let's get going!"

_Now that their appearances were all changed to that of goblins, Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, Motoyasu, and Melty all followed Rimuru to the North Gate Inn, trying to adjust to their temporary forms…_

**Notes:**

I don't think I realized how quickly time moves in Shield Hero (where 1 wave happens per month), so I'll need to make a minor adjustment. So for now, picture that the beginning of the story is set about a week after the 2nd Wave. Because I don't want any of the waves to have happened off screen.

Other than that, I don't think there were any other major issues that I missed so far, so that should be all.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It's so cool to see how many people seem to be enjoying this little crossover of mine.

Also holy crap 100 follows! Thank you so much! I never expected this to get such a crazy amount of traction in such a short amount of time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

While they were in their goblin disguises, Rimuru leads them to the North Gate Inn, hoping to plan out their exit strategy together.

Once they arrive, Rimuru says "Well then, since only Naofumi and Raphtalia were able to meet my subordinates face to face, I feel that introductions are in order. They are Benimaru, Shuuna, Shion, and Rigur. Naofumi and his comrades only look like goblins right now due to my magic."

When Motoyasu sees them, he frowns and says "Before anything else, I hope that your impression of this kingdom wasn't stained by that pig of a princess' father…" Then he gives a thumbs up while grinning, before adding "My name is Motoyasu and I was summoned here as the Spear Hero. Pleased to meet all of you!"

Rimuru rolls his eyes when he hears that, and says "That's a roundabout way of referring to the king… Well, seems like you've got some odd quirks Motoyasu, but I think that'll mean that you'll fit right in with Tempest."

Benimaru nods and says "Good to meet you too, Motoyasu. You were a big help with diffusing that situation in the throne room. I'm sure I'd have gotten yelled at if I disciplined that king myself…"

Rigur then smiles and says "You definitely look like a hero, so I'll enjoy working with you!"

Melty decides to speak next, gracefully bowing and saying "Greetings… I am Melty Q. Melromarc, 2nd Princess and heir to the throne of Melromarc. I shall strive to show you that our kingdom does not view you as enemies, despite what my father and sister may do in the absence of my mother…"

Shuuna smiles and bows back, before saying "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness… Even in this magic disguise, you have not lost your elegant demeanor."

When Melty hears that, she blushes and says "Thank you very much, Lady Shuuna…"

Shion then grins at the princess and says "As long as you're traveling with us, we'll have your back, Melty!"

Almost instantly, Shuuna glares at Shion before saying "She is the 2nd princess of Melromarc, so you should address her accordingly, especially as you are Lord Rimuru's secretary…"

Shion proceeds to laugh to herself nervously, before saying "I'll try to remember that…"

After that, Filo grins and says "Filo is Filo! If Master Naofumi likes you guys, then I do too!"

Shion smiles in response and says "She looks so cute! Not as cute as Lord Rimuru though..."

Shuuna nods in agreement, before saying "She truly does… We look forward to getting to know you, Filo."

Then, Erhard grins and says "I've already gotten a chance to chat with those guys after getting here, so I'm good sir Rimuru. Thanks again for letting me tag along!"

Rimuru smiles in response before saying "It isn't a problem. I look forward to working with you once things stabilize between our two kingdoms…"

Now that everyone was able to meet, Rimuru says "We arrived here in a carriage, so you guys will come with us. You guys will stay near Rigur, so no one should suspect anything. And you'll be with them to Erhard, once I disguise you as a goblin too."

Following that, Rimuru loads everyone into the carriage. Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, Melty, Motoyasu, and Erhard all go to sit near Rigurd in the back, while the others stayed closer to the front. Shion steered the carriage, which wasn't very difficult since it was being pulled by two star wolves. Thanks to the magic disguises, there weren't any immediate problems at the border, though at one point one of the guards shows a series of wanted posters.

That guard shows them while saying "The Shield Demon and the Spear Demon are both wanted for kidnapping 2nd Princess Melty. Do you have any information about them?"

Shion shakes her head and says "We do not. And we're in a bit of hurry, so can you let us through?"

The guard sighs and says "We'll try to be quick about it, but we need to search your carriage."

When Rimuru hears that, he pokes his head out behind Shion, before saying "So first I am threatened by your king and now you have the nerve to search my carriage? I came to this kingdom to discuss trade deals but I've been insulted at every turn. I have no desire to have a soldier of Melromarc search my carriage."

The guard had heard enough stories of how powerful the lord of Tempest could be, so he begins to whisper to another guard near him, before finally bowing while saying "You may pass, sir Rimuru."

Rimuru then smiles and says "Good answer! We'll be taking our leave now. Good luck catching those dangerous criminals…" The guard salutes as Rimuru's carriage exits the gate and begins heading down the road.

Once they were far enough away, Rimuru snaps his fingers, dispelling the transformation magic, returning Naofumi and company back to their normal appearances...

But while they were traveling along the road toward Tempest, Rimuru turns to Naofumi and says "Before we reach the city, I think we need to have a chat about your comrades…"

When Naofumi hears this, his eyes narrow before saying "What about them…?"

Rimuru folds his arms in response and says "Well, it's their status as slaves. I'm sure this is a touchy subject, but we'll need to deal with it before heading into town."

Suddenly, Raphtalia puts her arm in front of Naofumi and says "Master Naofumi has his own way of handling things! I am happy to be his slave, so please don't interfere sir Rimuru..."

Motoyasu nods and says "It might seem strange, but Naofumi has the complete trust of their companions, even if they are his slaves."

Rimuru shakes his head and says "I don't want to deny that, but I need to think about my status as the leader of Tempest. So I can't be seen supporting an otherworlder hero who uses slaves."

But right after that, Erhard interjects and says "I thought that monster races valued strength above all else?"

Benimaru nods and says "In general, I'd say that's true. Even though Tempest has a ban on slavery, it would be common for stronger tribes to enslave the weaker ones. Related to that, could you say that you are currently stronger than your slaves, Naofumi?"

Shuuna quickly interjects and says "You should refer to him as 'Sir' Naofumi, as he is a guest of Lord Rimuru…"

Benimaru scratches his red hair and sighs before saying "Oh… Whoops…"

That interjection gave Naofumi a chance to seriously think about that question, before answering by saying "Well… I think with my shield I wouldn't lose to either of them, but my lack of offensive abilities would make it so I doubt I'd win either."

Benimaru nods when he hears that, before saying "That's a fair assessment. What about you two?"

Raphtalia sighs and says "I'd rather we not have this conversation, but I agree with Master Naofumi."

Filo then grins and says "I wouldn't lose to Master Naofumi, because then I could get him to buy me more treats and toys!"

Benimaru smiles and then says "See my point? It'd be one thing if it was obvious who was stronger, but you guys more like equals."

Naofumi then looks down, before quietly grumbling and saying "Yeah… but-"

Rimuru interrupts Naofumi and says "You have more than enough reasons to have trust issues with this world, as you were betrayed the moment you were summoned. So how about this? If you feel uncomfortable with this, we can have the slave crest reapplied the next time we stop by Melromarc and I'll pay for it."

Naofumi started to glace side to side, taken off guard from everything that Rimuru wanted to do for him, leaving him to say "Why have you been so nice to me? I just don't understand…"

Raphtalia sighs and puts her hand on Naofumi's shoulder, before saying "Master Naofumi…"

However, Rimuru closes his eyes while saying "When I reincarnated in this world, I was a slime who couldn't see or hear. I rolled around the cave I ended up in, slowly gaining the ability to perceive my surroundings. After awhile, I met a dragon who ended up being my first friend. He even gave me my name…"

While that was happening, deep within Rimuru the Storm Dragon Veldora laughs to himself while saying "Hear that, apprentice? Rimuru is talking about me! His first and greatest friend!"

The flame elemental, Ifrit, sighs to himself and says "Shouldn't you be focusing on removing the barrier on our end, Lord Veldora…?"

Veldora's eyes suddenly widen, before he nervously laughs and says "I… Of course I am focusing on the barrier, apprentice…! Hahahahahaha!"

Ifrit remained unconvinced, though there wasn't much else he could do in there, though he also wonders if things were exciting for Lord Rimuru right now…

Rimuru paused for a moment, feeling as if his dragon friend was slacking off, though that was only a vague sensation. But he then continues, saying "After that, I met the goblin and wolf tribes, helped them and brought them under my command. Then I met a group of ogres and helped them out, and slowly a city formed around me. So I really lucked out in the end, since even though they all work for me, I still consider them my friends…"

Benimaru happily grins while saying "You honor us, Lord Rimuru…"

Shion then goes to hug Rimuru, energetically holding him in his human form, while yelling "We all feel the same way, Lord Rimuru!"

In response to that, Rimuru changes into his slime form and slides out of Shion's grasp, before continuing by saying "You've had a far more difficult and unfair experience, Naofumi. You too, to an extent Motoyasu. Naofumi, you were driven to a point where you had no choice other than to purchase a slave. And unlike me, you two were summoned here before you could have even entered the next stage of your lives."

After that, he changes back into his human form and says "Because of all that, I'd like to support you two to the best of my ability. This world really can be fun, so I'd like you to see the side of it that I get to witness…"

Naofumi was stunned into silence, before he finally says "I… I don't know what to say. But if you'd like me to remove the slave crests, then I'll accept."

Rimuru nods and says "Well then, can I see Raphtalia's crest? I'd like to examine it's magical properties…"

Raphtalia nods, before unbuttoning her blouse, causing Erhard to quickly cover Motoyasu's eyes while saying "Don't look you damned idiot…"

Shuuna does the same thing to Benimaru, causing him to grumble and say "I was already closing my eyes…"

Rimuru then puts his hands above the magic crest, before mentally saying 'Great Sage, analyze please…'

The Great Sage responds, saying 'Understood.' And after a moment, it then says 'Result: Crest gives full control to seal holder. It also significantly increases the growth of the subject, when used in conjunction with the legendary shield. The Shield Hero may not be aware of that specific ability of his shield.'

Rimuru then relays what the Great Sage told him, before saying "I'd like to bring Raphtalia to one of my researchers, before I try to remove the slave crests. With a growth effect like that, it would be a valuable thing to make use of, though for now I'll try to recreate the necessary effect that activates that specific 'slave shield' ability. If we can do that, it may be possible to mass produce it..."

Naofumi scratches his chin and says "I never realized that my shield carried that type of ability..."

Motoyasu then chimes in, saying "Naofumi, you should check their levels… They might be ready for a class change!"

When Naofumi hears that, he raises an eyebrow and asks "What's a class change?" He then turns to Raphtalia and Filo and asks "Either of you know about that?"

They both shake their heads, causing Motoyasu to say "Allow me to explain things to the great man who fathered the adorable Filo…" That statement caused everyone in the carriage to stare at Motoyasu completely dumbfounded, leaving him to continue by saying "When followers of a legendary hero reach a certain level, they stop growing until they can have a class change at the Red Hourglass of the Dragon's Eye, which is located in the central cathedral in Melromarc. Though it might be difficult with how the king thinks about you presently…"

After that, Naofumi checks the status of Raphtalia and Filo, and sighs with relief when they both still had about 20 levels before they'd need to perform a class change. Hopefully he'd have a chance to get to that Red Hourglass after they repel the 3rd Wave, since that would give him more leverage with the king, even if the king wouldn't like it.

Following that conversation, Rimuru says "Well, it'll take a few hours to get to Tempest, so feel free to take it easy until we get there…"

And after a few hours, Naofumi and the others were finally able to witness the bustling capital city of monsters, Rimuru City of the Jura Tempest Federation...

**Notes:**

I had to make some quick fixes to the start of this chapter, since I skipped over some things without realizing it. But things should be improved now. So enjoy the chapter!

Now for a few brief review responses...

**giacomoX**: I think it would make sense to address all the demon lord stuff with Rimuru at some point in this story. Not sure how I'll handle it (either actively going through it or having it occur off screen), but it'll be a thing at some point.

**Have a Little Feith**: I understand what you mean. Thanks for the info on that. I've only read the manga, so some of those details aren't as clear to me.

_This is one is technically a review for **this** chapter..._

**SwordOfTheGods**: Thanks for the extra quick review, because you pointed out some stuff that I just missed while writing out the chapter. I appreciate the feedback you left.


	5. Chapter 5

_Rimuru City, Jura Tempest Federation_

As their carriage passed the city gates, Naofumi and company were able to see just how unique the capital city of Tempest was, where a diverse swath of races interacted on the streets, including human, beast, and monster races. There were plenty of merchants as well who traded a variety of goods while the streets were packed with visitors, making the group realize just how strong Tempest's economy was.

_After a few minutes, they reach Rimuru's headquarters, where he aims to reveal his plans for his guests…_

Once everyone was seated and Shuuna served them tea, Rimuru begins by saying "These are my ideas on how you will spend your time here, so let me know what you think. Raphtalia, you will receive swordsmanship lessons from our resident expert, Hakuro. I think honing your technique will take you much farther than simple level increases."

Raphtalia nods when she hears that, before saying "I'll do whatever is necessary to sharpen myself as Master Naofumi's sword…"

Rimuru then continues by saying "Filo, you should train alongside the goblin riders. They're young like you are, so you should get along."

Filo grins in response and says "Yay! Sounds like fun!"

Then, Rimuru says "Princess Melty, you should stay here with Shuuna for a little while. She'll be able to educate you on the various monster races who live here. I'll also alert King Dwargo and Demon Lord Carrion, if you'd feel up to meeting with foreign leaders at a later point."

Melty bows in response, before saying "Thank you very much, sir Rimuru… I'll do my up-most as the representative of Melromarc."

After that, Rimuru then says "And for Naofumi and Motoyasu, you two will have a special training partner, but she's not here yet. She's incredibly strong though, so it should be valuable for the both of you."

Naofumi frowns in response and says "That's worrying…"

Motoyasu then sighs and says "I wonder if she's cute…?"

Rimuru nervously laughs and says "I'd avoid that sort of talk around her, unless you'd like an early grave…"

After all of that, Rimuru then clears his throat and says "For now though, let's go to Kaijin's forge. I'd like him to examine your legendary weapons at some point, so it'd be good to settle introductions for now."

_With that decided, they follow Rimuru to the famous blacksmith's work station while Melty stays behind with Shuuna, making it there after just a short walk…_

Once they arrive, Rimuru greets the smith and says "Kaijin, these are my guests. Two of them are legendary heroes from Melromarc, so they have legendary weapons that you might want to look at."

Kaijin then scratches his beard and says "Legendary weapons… Can't say I've ever worked with them. This should be interesting…"

After that, Rimuru says "And this is Erhard. He's a blacksmith from Melromarc and I'd like him to work in your forge for now. Is that okay?"

Kaijin takes a look at Erhard, before nodding and saying "Alright. I could always use the extra help." After that, he turns to Erhard and asks "Do you have any experience working with the legendary weapons, Erhard?"

Erhard nods before saying "I've tinkered with Shield-bro's shield on occasion, but I've mainly forged his armor." Then, he quickly clears his throat and bows before saying "And it will be an honor to work under you, Master Kaijin!"

Kaijin then grins and says "Don't get too worked up… I don't get to work with Melromarc smiths very often, so this should be a good experience for all of us!"

Garm, eldest of the dwarf brothers, smiles and says "I specialize in armor smithing, so I know we'll have plenty to talk about!"

Dord, another dwarvern smith and the middle brother, then says "My specialty might be in jewelry crafting, but I'm sure we've still got a lot in common."

Then Myrd, the youngest of the dwarf brothers, simply nods while saying "Mm-hmm!"

Myrd's silent response seems to bother Rimuru, causing him to shout "At least say something in front of our guests!"

But after that, Kurobee starts to shuffle over with worry, before asking "You didn't forget about me, did you Lord Rimuru…?"

Rimuru starts to nervously laugh before saying "Of course not…!" He then clears his throat and says "That's Kurobee. He's a Kijin, but unlike the others his talents lie in blacksmithing. So he works in the forge too…"

After all of that, Kaijin folds his arms and says "We're a lively bunch, but you'll surely learn a lot. Just make sure you pull your weight, alright?"

Erhard nods in response, before saying "You got it! I've been a smith Melromarc for years, so I won't be dead weight."

Following that, Rimuru says "Why don't we visit the head researcher, Vesta, so he can take a look at that slave sigil. Kaijin, you're coming too, since I'm sure Naofumi's shield will be an important factor in that…"

Kaijin scratches at his beard, before saying "A slave sigil, huh…? Understood, Lord Rimuru."

_With that decided, Rimuru leads the group toward the Tempest research building, while Erhard remained at the forge to acclimate himself…_

Once they arrive, Rimuru shifts into his smile form before introducing his guests to the head researcher Vesta, before saying "If anyone in this kingdom could replicate the growth affect from your shield and the slave sigil, it'd be Vesta."

Vesta quietly laughs and says "You flatter me, Lord Rimuru…" Then he turns and says "Well then, could you show me the slave sigil, Ms. Raphtalia?"

Raphtalia nods, before starting to unbutton her blouse shirt, while saying "It's embarrassing, but if it's for Master Naofumi's sake…"

When he sees that, his eyes widen as he says "Ms. Raphtalia, what are you doing?"

Raphtalia frowns and says "Oh, the slave sigil was placed on my chest. I'm sorry…"

When Kaijin hears that, he folds his arms and says "That's terrible…"

Vesta just shakes his head and says "No, I should apologize… I had no idea." Then he sighs and says "What a vulgar way to treat someone, though I don't doubt that was the intention…"

She then fully reveals the slave sigil, causing Vesta to say "It's highly detailed… Much of the focus is in the shock effect the slave master uses…" He then takes a piece of parchment and begins to sketch out a replica of the sigil, while saying "I should be able to copy the design at least. And then I'll try to isolate the growth side effect…"

Once he was done, Raphtalia buttons back up and says "Thank you Mr. Vesta. Good luck with everything!"

Vesta nods in response, before saying "I'll try my hardest. Let me know if any of you need something from me during your stay here at Tempest. Farewell!"

Kaijin then walks up to Vesta and says "I'll be over here for a little while, Lord Rimuru. And Naofumi and Motoyasu? I'll take a look at your Legendary weapons later on, okay?"

Motoyasu nods and says "That'd be really helpful! I'd rather that time loop thing not activate now that my precious Filo was born…!"

When Kaijin hears that, he raises an eyebrow and looks around the room while asking "Time loop? What's he talking about?"

Rimuru laughs to himself and says "I'll fill you in later…"

Then, Naofumi nods and says "I'll appreciate the help, old man…"

Kaijin starts to grumble to himself while saying "Old man…? Who the hell are you calling an old man?"

Erhard starts to laugh before saying "Don't mind Shield-bro, master… He's a bit of a brat with a terrible personality, but he's got a heart of gold."

Rimuru then sighs and says "Seems like things really will be lively from now on…"

_Following that, Rimuru leads them out of the building…_

While they were walking, Rimuru says "We'll wait a few days for Vesta's research before making a decision on the slave sigil. Is that okay with you, Naofumi?"

Naofumi nods and says "That's fine. I don't want Raphtalia or Filo to level too quickly since we won't be able to do a class change, at least until the next wave is dealt with."

Rimuru laughs to himself and says "That's a smart decision. I'll contact my allies for now, since there might have been a time where they participated in this four hero system. I can't imagine Melromarc having the only Dragon Hourglass…"

Following that, a blue haired Kijin appears behind Rimuru, before telepathically saying "My Lord, it appears that Lady Milim has arrived in the central square…"

Rimuru telepathically responds, saying "Thanks Souei… Can you inform her that I'm on my way to greet her?"

Souei then nods and telepathically says "At once!"

He then disappears as suddenly as he appeared, causing Rimuru shift back into his human form before saying "Well, let's all head to the central square! The person I want to train Naofumi and Motoyasu has just arrived…"

_Meanwhile, in Melromarc's throne room…_

King Aultcray was currently both furious and panicked, as he yells "That damned Shield Demon! He conspired with the monster king and stole my precious Melty!"

He then looks at his guards and says "I want the army readied! We will crush Tempest and I will lead the charge. No one will kidnap my darling daughter!"

Itsuki then frowns and says "Naofumi truly can't sink any lower… And I'll bet Motoyasu joined them in this terrible scheme. Naofumi is one thing, but I trusted Motoyasu…"

King Aultcray nods before saying "Exactly! I would like both of you heroes to assist me in this endeavor. You will be properly compensated, of course!"

Surprisingly, Ren folds his arms and says "I don't think we, as outsiders, should get involved. Besides, I'd rather not jump to conclusions here Your Majesty."

King Aultcray begins to bow his head repeatedly, while saying "Sword Hero, how could you be so cold? Please, help our kingdom…"

Princess Malty sighs and says "I am sorry father, but I agree with Sir Ren. We shouldn't involve them at this time…"

King Aultcray's then widen, before he says "Malty! This is your sister!"

Princess Malty nods in response, before saying "I am as saddened as you are, but now that the Shield Demon brainwashed her, she is already lost to us…" As sad as she presented herself on the outside, on the inside she was thrilled that her sister was out of the way. It might take longer, but she hopes to convince her father that Melty was too far gone, so as to secure the throne for herself.

King Aultcray then shakes his head defiantly, before saying "Well then I shall bring war to Tempest, even without the Legendary Heroes at my side…"

Suddenly, a middle-aged priest wearing spectacles walks over and says "War will not be declared on Tempest while we are under the threat of the Waves. Is that understood, _Your Majesty…?"_

King Aultcray's eyes widen, before muttering "Bishop Balmus?" Then, he grumbles to himself quietly, before saying "Understood…"

Itsuki found it slightly odd that a bishop was ordering around the king, but he didn't read too deeply into it. Ren on the other hand was much more concerned, since it showed him that there were other figures lurking in the shadows who held power over the king, especially the leader of the Church of the Three Heroes. He also saw that Malty was only concerned with her own political power and that her father was well intentioned but was likely easily fooled as well. For now, war was avoided with Tempest, but that could be reversed by the ones pulling the strings in Melromarc.

_And as he left the throne room to train some more, he hopes that Naofumi and Motoyasu are able to fully prepare for the next wave..._

**Notes**

Man, I wish things were clearer on the spelling of a few character names... Vesta's name is spelled 'Bester' in Wikipedia, so I had to crack open my own physical volumes of Slime to check. And on the Slime wiki, Dord & Myrd are mixed up! So I'm glad I checked on that too.

Hope everyone had a Happy Holiday & New Years!

And now we're finally in Tempest. I also wanted to show off that the king has a (slightly) decent side, and it makes it more enjoyable to portray him as a (somewhat) well meaning but very _easily_ manipulated person. At least that's how I saw it while reading the manga, where people like Malty and the church were pulling the strings.

Also, a very special thank you to **JuanStingtrip24** here on FanFiction,net, as he made the cool new story cover image. Never expected something like that, so I really appreciate it!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

_Now that the Demon Lord Milim had arrived in Tempest, Rimuru leads his guests to the town square, hoping that none of them will offend the easily angered girl…_

When they made it to the town square, Milim notices Rimuru, causing her to charge at him while shouting "You're finally here, bestie!" Both Naofumi and Motoyasu were stunned by the speed at which this small looking girl flew toward them, though Rimuru seemed to anticipate this, as he sidesteps her at the last second and flicks her forehead. Milim recoils and pouts in response, before saying "Heeeey… What gives? I wanna give my bestie a hug!"

Rimuru just sighs and says "Can't that wait until _after _I introduce you to my guests?"

Milim folds her arms and frowns while saying "Fine…" Then, she looks over Naofumi and Motoyasu, before disinterestedly saying "_Those_ are the heroes you told me about? They look average to me…"

When Raphtalia hears that, she glares and says "How dare you insult Master Naofumi like that!"

Motoyasu then sadly mumbles to himself, saying "What about me…?"

Filo the looks at Motoyasu and grins, filling him with hope, before saying "Spear guy is a weirdo, so he's not average at all!"

Motoyasu then deeply sighs and says "I… Thanks for trying, Filo…"

Filo then laughs and responds, saying "You're welcome!"

But Milim, ignoring what the Spear Hero complained about, looks at Raphtalia and smirks, before saying "Oh, did I insult your master, tanuki girl? Doesn't change the fact that those two are wimps compared to me..."

Rimuru just sighs in response, before saying "Most people are wimps compared to you, Milim… Me included."

Milim shakes her head and says "You're not a wimp, bestie! You're weaker than me, but not by a whole lot…" Then, she smugly smiles while putting her hands on her hips, before declaring "Milim Nava does not take on weaklings as disciples!"

When Naofumi hears that, he grips his shield and says "Oh, now I understand. So, you want to test us first, Milim?"

Milim laughs in response and says "Yep! At least one of you has some sense…" But then her eyes widen, before she starts to yell "And I'm a Demon Lord, so address me as 'Lady Milim' you weak hero!"

Naofumi then nods, before saying "Fine by me, _Lady_ Milim…"

After that, Motoyasu looks over at his fellow hero and says "I can't say I'm not worried, but I think with someone as amazing as you by my side, we just might get through this!"

When Naofumi hears that, he simply scowls and says "Just what is wrong with you…?" Then he shakes his head and says "Whatever! I'll handle the defense and you handle the offense, alright?"

Motoyasu brandishes his spear and says "Understood!"

Milim begins to giggle to herself before saying "You two look ready… Well then, let's begin! I hope you both can keep up…"

Before any of them could begin, Rimuru runs between them and yells "No, no, no! We're moving somewhere else first!"

Milim pouts in response and says "Fine…"

After that, Rimuru leads them to a cave system that was fairly close to town, which he planned on using for something, once he thought of a good idea. But it would be a good spot for a fight, though he hopes that Milim doesn't cause too much damage.

_Now that they were moved to a Rimuru approved location, Milim charges at them, only concerned with having a fun time, while Naofumi and Motoyasu only hoped to get out of this in one piece..._

Naofumi was used to defending himself from powerful foes, but this demon girl was stronger than anything he'd seen yet. Every time a fist or leg would collide with his shield, it would send shockwaves through him, rattling him to his very bones. And even when Motoyasu would land a direct hit onto her, she'd just laugh and shrug it off as if it was nothing. Milim wasn't even paying attention to Motoyasu, as if making a point that she could simply overpower their defender first and deal with the attacker second.

After a little while of this, Naofumi turns to Motoyasu and says "I've got an idea! Prepare your strongest attack and I'll seal her movements…"

Motoyasu grins in response and says "I'll do whatever you wish!"

Following that, Milim laughs and says "So you've got a plan now? Then I'll just crush you both!"

With that declaration, Milim charges at Naofumi, planning on taking him down in one blow, but then he smirks and yells "_**Shield Prison!**_" Right after that, a collection of large shields spring up from the earth, closing in on and trapping Milim, as he says "Even someone like you won't be able to break out immediately…"

When Milim hears that, she mumbles "_Is that a challenge…?_" She then takes a deep breath and then screams, breaking free almost instantly, before saying "You were saying, Shield boy…?"

Following that, Motoyasu says "Too late… _**Lightning Spear!**_" He then fires off a bolt of electricity, successfully hitting Milim and sending her flying into a nearby cave wall. When he sees that, he cheers and says "We did it, Naofumi! Your genius planning was perfect!"

Naofumi groans at Motoyasu's statement, saying "You _really_ need to settle down with that. But yeah, we didn't do half bad…"

But after that, Milim springs back up and says "You're right; that wasn't half bad! I was almost having fun… You two pass!" The two heroes sigh with relief, but then she grins and says "I still wanna play more, so get ready!"

Before she could do anything however, Rimuru walks over to her and says "We're finished… If you don't stop now, then no more honey for a month!"

That phrase was enough to stop Milim in her tracks, before she shuffles over to Rimuru and says "Whaaa….? I'll stop, I'll stop!"

Rimuru smugly smiles in response, before saying "Good! Now, get started training them, because we only have until the end of the week before the next wave, and I want them to be ready… If you do a good job, I'll give you extra honey."

Naofumi and Motoyasu share a worried look, before Milim grins and cracks her knuckles, before saying "More honey? Well let's get started then! I'll whip you two wimpy heroes into shape even if it kills ya…"

Following that, Rimuru leads Raphtalia and Filo away, as the two of them try to ignore the panicked screams of Naofumi and Motoyasu. Raphtalia in particular felt guilty about this, but she knew that both she and Naofumi needed to get stronger before the next wave, so she focuses only on what she'd do next.

_And after a relatively short walk, they reach Hakuro's training grounds, where Raphtalia planned on honing her sword techniques with an actual master swordsman…_

**Notes**

This is a bit on the shorter side, but I've been pretty busy. I managed to finish up the introduction/meeting with Milim at least. Hope you enjoy the chapter, even if it's a bit short!


	7. Chapter 7

_Now that Raphtalia was at Hakuro's training grounds, she prepared herself to train hard for the sake of Naofumi. At the same time, Rimuru brought Filo to participate in the drills with Gobuta and the rest of the goblin riders._

_And before they all knew it, the rest of the week passed and the time for the next Wave finally arrived..._

By this point, the heroes and their party members were all properly equipped with armor created by Kaijin. But before they were teleported away, Rimuru changed into his human form and said "You guys should be prepared for whatever this Wave throws at you, so remember your training. I'll try to keep an eye on where you end up, so I can lead you back to town. But good luck!"

Naofumi responded first by saying "I'll admit that I didn't trust your reasoning for helping us at first, but I appreciate everything you guys have done."

Raphtalia nodded and said "I feel the same way! I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, for helping us and Naofumi..." Hakuro simply smiled wryly, satisfied with her quick progress but obviously ready for further training.

Filo then grinned and said "And it was fun! So thanks!" Gobuta gave her a thumbs up, as he clearly had fun while she joined them for their drills.

And finally Motoyasu smiled and said "It's been a pleasure everyone, and even more so that you've all seen how awesome Naofumi is!"

After all that, Milim laughed while saying "You guys had better show everyone what it means to be apprentices to Demon Lord Milum Nava!"

But after that, a white light began to shine around Naofumi and the others, quickly teleporting them away. And once they were gone, Rimuru said "Great Sage, locate them for me, okay? I'd like to see how they do..."

_Soon, the next Wave was about to start..._

Once they were teleported, they looked around to figure exactly where they now were, realizing that they were in a forest with a coal mine nearby. When Raphtalia saw that, she turned while saying "That looks like Ryute Village! Do you think they've evacuated yet?"

Naofumi then folded his arms and said "We should check before anything starts... They did help us out early on in our journey."

But after that, Mototasu pointed up and yelled "Naofumi, look at that!"

When they all looked up, they saw what they could only described as the sky splitting in two, where a horde of monsters began to fall from it. And with that, they immediately moved to hold off the monsters, while Filo ran to inform the villagers of what they were doing. At the same time Itsuki and Ren, along with their larger parties, ran in search of stronger monsters while unconcerned with the nearby village.

But while that was happening, Rimuru and Milim were flying toward that village, while Rimuru hummed to himself while saying "That sure is scary looking... Does this happen often, Milim?"

Milim just shrugged while flying, before saying "Sorta... I just ignore them though, because none of the monsters from those Waves can stand up to me!"

_After that brief exchange, they simply flew silently, where Rimuru felt more than slightly disturbed by how these Waves seemed to operate..._

Due to their training, the monsters that tried to attack the village were no match for Naofumi and his group. Motoyasu made sure to use his spear skills on flying monsters that could be more difficult for Raphtalia to reach with her sword. Raphtalia made short work of the other monsters, making full use of the basic techniques that Hakuro had taught her. And Naofumi used his shield to protect his allies, easily shrugging off whatever damage the monsters could inflict. There were a few undead monsters who were larger and more powerful than the others, but even they were no match for Naofumi's group when they all focused on them together.

After a few minutes of tough fighting, Filo rushed back to the fray and dispatched a few monsters herself, before shouting "The village is now evacuated!" That statement gave the others some relief, since no matter how many monsters they killed, there always seemed to be more to take their place.

But after a few more minutes of fierce fighting, Naofumi noticed a group of city guard members off in the distance, leading him to feel suspicious of their motive. Right after that, he saw them launch several fireballs in their direction, causing him to shout "Everyone, to me!"

Once everyone gathered around Naofumi, he used an anti-fire shield skill, protecting them from harm. And by the time the rain of fire had ceased, the monsters were all dispatched and the tear in the sky was gone. It might not have been a smooth ending, but the Wave was repelled.

Though due to how it ended, Naofumi's group were left angered from the actions of those soldiers, but they all were willing to ignore it due to how they suffered no losses. But as they started to dust themselves off and double check for any damage, the guard captain smugly smirked while saying "You're as hardy as I've heard, Shield Hero..."

When Raphtalia heard that, she charged at the captain and crossed sword with him, before angrily saying "You knew Naofumi was here, didn't you? Why did you carry out your attack knowing we were still fighting?!"

The captain merely laughed before saying "I had no idea, _honest..._ We just saw the monsters group up around this location, so we launched an attack. And besides, it worked out fine, so who cares...?"

When Motoyasu heard that, he crossed his arms and shook his head, before saying "I don't believe a word of that... You're lucky Naofumi wasn't harmed by your scheme, or I wouldn't show mercy."

In response to that, the captain took a step back, leaving Raphtalia to stare at him with her sword still drawn. And once he did that, he furrowed his brow while saying "I heard that the Spear Hero started following the Shield Hero, but I didn't believe the rumors..."

While the tensions were still high, Naofumi glanced behind the soldiers, noticing that there was a large number of monsters regrouping in the distance. And once he saw that, he shakes his head and says "Personally, I don't think this argument is even worth it... But then again, you guys shouldn't act so smug after leaving the job half done."

That caused the soldiers to quickly turn around, where they realized that they were now surrounded. And when one of the larger undead monsters swung an axe straight at the captain, he cowered while Naofumi jumped in front of him, before yelling "This is the last of them, so make yourselves useful and form up with us! I can block their attacks while you guys attack the weaker monsters while the rest of my party deals with the tougher ones!"

The captain backed away fearfully, before grumbling and saying "Why would I ever take orders from the Shield Hero of all people?"

Naofumi then just turned back toward the captain, before saying "We could always retreat and leave you to deal with them. It'd give us time to reorganize, and I've got no qualms with making the sacrifice. So do you want to keep testing my patience...?"

Left with that decision, the captain clenches his fist and says "Fine!" Then he turns to the soldiers and yells "Men! We join the Shield Hero in this battle!"

_Following that, the next phase of their battle started, while Rimuru and Milim continued to watch from a distance..._

While Naofumi's group and the soldiers from the capital teamed up to dispatch the rest of the monsters, Milim was grumbling to herself while saying "How dare they insult _my_ students... Rimuru, let's go join the fight and scare those annoying soldiers!"

Rimuru found it amusing that Milim seemed to take her role as a teacher so seriously, but he shook his head and said "No Milim... We need to let them sort this out on their own. They can't grow dependent on us..."

Milim started to pout in response, while saying "That's no fun, Rimuru..." But after that, she tapped her chin and said "Since the Wave seems to be over, that must mean the other heroes found the right monster and killed it."

When Rimuru heard that, he hummed to himself before saying "So that's how the Waves function... Melromarc should've sent soldiers to that village earlier. It wouldn't be efficient if the heroes are the ones who need to protect the citizens, if they need to defeat the boss monster to stop the Wave."

The fighting at the outskirts of the village was challenging, but with the added numbers from the soldiers, it didn't take very long to clear the monsters out. Even once they were finished, the captain left without thanking or even apologizing to the Shield Hero for what transpired, though some of the individual soldiers looked appreciative of them. Naofumi and Motoyasu both guessed that the Wave ended because of the other heroes, so they focused on making sure the villagers were unharmed.

There was a celebration in the capital for the clearing of that Wave, but due to the king wrongly assuming that Naofumi and Motoyasu kidnapped Princess Melty, they were not invited. That did not bother them however, as they knew that they needed to continue gaining strength, as the Waves would surely increase in difficulty in time. So Rimuru and Milum brought them back to Tempest themselves, managing to make it back in less than a day, where the heroes prepared to continue training.

And now that that Wave was cleared, Rimuru contacted his allies to meet in Tempest, as a curious letter from the Queen of Melromarc herself arrived while he was away.

_One month until the next Wave..._

**Notes**

It's been awhile, hasn't it? Around 4 months since I posted a chapter, but really it was due to a lack of motivation to write anything. Hopefully the wait wasn't too bad! I'll try to be better about that, but I can't make any promises. Enjoy the chapter!

But I've had this idea in my head that I may try at some point, relating to Shield Hero. I'm a fan of the Trails series, and I thought it would be neat if there was a fanfic of Loewe (from Trails) ended up as a hero in Rising of the Shield Hero. Don't expect anything about that soon, but it's something I'm considering.

When I started writing this chapter, I forgot exactly where I set things Shield Hero wise, so the Wave written about here is essentially the 1st wave that Naofumi and Raphtalia deal with in the story. I don't want to rewrite all of this chapter, so just enjoy it for what it is. Think of this one as a bridge between the main story Waves. So here's how things are right now:

Wave 1: The one that happens before the story started

Wave 2: The one that Naofumi and Raphtalia first deal with

Wave 3: The one in this chapter, which ended up being similar to Wave 2

Wave 4: The one where the enemy hero, Glass, shows up. Basically the one that actually occurs next in the story

In general, try not to worry too much about minor story details. I'll try to keep things accurate, but it's easy to miss the smaller things while writing, even when checking the relevant wikis and chapters to doublecheck on stuff. Feel free to keep making corrections, but I may not always act on them, but I'll try if they're particularly big errors.

I'm not incredibly concerned with how much time occurs between Waves, since that can feel different depending on what stuff happens between them in the story. So in this case, since I'm saying the next Wave will occur in a month story-wise, just imagine everything shifting related to that timeframe.

I'm also trying something a bit different with making everything (or almost everything) past tense. So if this chapter reads better than the others for you, let me know. Or if it reads worse, also let me know.


End file.
